Padres Minor League Report: Storm Surge Headlines Affiliate Victories

Cobb Hightower’s walk-off homer powered Lake Elsinore to a thrilling win, while Brandon Valenzuela’s clutch double sealed San Antonio’s comeback. El Paso’s offense tried to keep pace with Albuquerque behind Mike Brosseau’s two homers, but the bullpen faltered late. Fort Wayne rode Brandon Butterworth’s three-RBI night and Ian Koenig’s solid start to a wire-to-wire win. Yendry Rojas, Leo De Vries, and Nerwilian Cedeño stood out offensively across levels as Padres affiliates combined for 3 wins and 29 total runs.

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Brosseau, Perlaza Power Chihuahuas in Back-and-Forth Battle
Box Score

Mike Brosseau and Yonathan Perlaza combined for five hits and three home runs, but the El Paso Chihuahuas dropped a 9–7 contest despite several late rallies in Albuquerque.

Brosseau opened the scoring in the 2nd with a solo home run and later launched another in the 7th, a two-run shot that cut El Paso’s deficit to 7–5. Perlaza added to the long-ball tally with a solo homer of his own in the 3rd and finished 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored.

Trailing 7–5 in the 8th, the Chihuahuas tied the game when Luis Campusano lined a two-run double to left. El Paso had the go-ahead run in scoring position with one out, but two strikeouts ended the threat.

Starter Jackson Wolf was tagged for six earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, but the bullpen kept the game close until the 8th, when Sean Reynolds allowed a two-run triple that sealed El Paso’s fate.

Brandon Lockridge contributed two hits, including a double, while Mason McCoy walked and stole two bases. The Chihuahuas left 13 runners on base, going just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Valenzuela, Cedeño Spark Missions’ Walk-Off Win in Extras
Box Score

The San Antonio Missions rallied from a three-run deficit and walked it off in the 10th on Brandon Valenzuela’s RBI double to cap a 7–6 comeback victory.

Down 4–0 in the 6th, Valenzuela launched a two-run homer to put San Antonio on the board. In the 8th, Devin Ortiz singled and scored on back-to-back doubles from Nerwilian Cedeño and Ripken Reyes to pull within one. A wild sequence in the 9th — balk, two wild pitches — allowed pinch-runner Wyatt Hoffman to tie the game.

In the 10th, after an error tied the game, Valenzuela smoked a game-winning double to center, driving in Cedeño. The catcher finished 2-for-5 with a home run, double, and three RBIs. Cedeño reached base three times and scored three runs.

Tyson Neighbors earned the win with two innings of relief, allowing just the automatic runner to score in the 10th. Henry Baez started and allowed four runs over 4 innings, walking two and striking out three. Stephen Jones and Jake Higginbotham combined for four solid frames before Neighbors took over in extras.

Despite trailing for much of the night, San Antonio capitalized to notch their 43rd win of the season.

Butterworth, Roberts Lead TinCaps’ Offensive Display
Box Score

Brandon Butterworth drove in three runs and Kai Roberts reached base five times as the Fort Wayne TinCaps stormed past Lansing, 7–2, at Parkview Field.

The TinCaps jumped out early, plating three runs in the 1st on Leo De Vries’s RBI double, a Brandon Butterworth RBI single, and a run-scoring single from Rosman Verdugo. Butterworth added a solo home run in the 3rd and capped his night with a two-run single in the 7th, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs.

Roberts sparked the offense out of the leadoff spot, going 2-for-2 with three walks, a double, and two runs scored. De Vries went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Verdugo contributed two hits and an RBI.

Ian Koenig earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits over 6 1/3 innings. Garrett Hawkins locked down his fourth save with a clean 1 2/3 innings, striking out three. Ruben Galindo bridged the middle innings with a scoreless inning.

Fort Wayne out-hit the Lugnuts 11–3. The TinCaps’ defense also turned a key double play to end a potential rally in the 8th.

Hightower Walks It Off with Homer in Back-and-Forth Win
Box Score

Cobb Hightower capped a dramatic 9th-inning rally with a three-run walk-off homer, lifting the Lake Elsinore Storm to an 8–5 win over Inland Empire at The Diamond.

Trailing 5–4 entering the 9th, the Storm loaded the bases with a single, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. Yendry Rojas tied the game with an RBI single, and the 66ers threw out Chase Valentine at the plate, Hightower belted his first home run of the season to left-center to win it. He finished 1-for-5 with three RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base.

Rojas starred from the bottom of the order, going 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, a walk, and two steals. Ryan Wilson reached base twice, while B.Y. Choi scored once and doubled.

Humberto Cruz set the tone with 3 shutout innings and four strikeouts. Kannon Kemp handled the bulk of the work, striking out three but surrendering four earned over five innings while walking four. Carson Swilling pitched a scoreless 9th and earned the win.

Lake Elsinore stole eight bases as a team and took advantage of five Inland Empire errors to notch their 34th victory. The Storm went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base.

Top Prospect Performances

1. Leo De Vries, SS: 2-for-5, 1 double, 1 RBI, 2 runs
2. Ethan Salas, C: Did Not Play
3. Kash Mayfield, LHP: Did Not Play
4. Boston Bateman, RHP: Did Not Play
5. Humberto Cruz, RHP: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 K
6. Isaiah Lowe, RHP: Did Not Play
7. Cobb Hightower, SS: 1-for-5, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 1 stolen base
8. Braden Nett, RHP: Did Not Play
9. Henry Baez, RHP: 4 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
10. Kale Fountain, 1B: N/A
11. Tirso Ornelas, OF: Did Not Play
12. Kavares Tears, OF: 0-for-4, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
13. Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER
14. Victor Lizarraga, RHP: N/A
15. Francis Pena, RHP: Did Not Play
16. Ryan Bergert, RHP: Did Not Play
17. Romeo Sanabria, 1B: 0-for-4, 3 strikeouts
18. Omar Cruz, LHP: N/A
19. Tyson Neighbors, RHP: 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K
20. Jagger Haynes, LHP: Did Not Play

Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!